HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



263 



fended' his liberty and his life. Notwithflanding this 

 misfortune and difgrace, the Mexicans obtained a com- 

 plete viftory, and according to what hiftorians fay, made 

 eleven thoufand and lixty prifoners, among whom were 

 Tlilcuezpalin and the two captains Vv^ho had attacked the 

 king. By this glorious victory Axayacatl added Xiqui- 

 pilco, Xocotitlan, Atlacomalco, and all the other places 

 comprehended in the valley which were not before fub- 

 dued, to the crown of Mexico. 



As foon as Axayacatl had recovered of his wound, 

 which made him halt in one leg during the refl: of his life, 

 he gave a great entertainment to the allied kings, at 

 which he put Tlilcuezpalin and the two other captains - 

 to death. The execution of fuch a punifliment did not 

 appear to thofe people unfeafonable, amidfl the feflivity 

 of an entertainment ; from being ufed to flied human 

 blood, the horror naturally arifing from it, changed into 

 recreation. So ftrong is the force of cuftom, and fo eafy 

 is it to familiarize our minds to the mofl horrible obje(fl:s. 



In the lall: years of his reign, the bounds of his empire 

 appearing rather too confined towards the wefl, he again 

 took the field ; and palFrng through the valley of Toluca, 

 and crolling the mountains, he conquered Tochpan and 

 Tlaximalojan, which was afterwards the frontier of the 

 kingdom of Michuacan. From thence returning towards 

 the eaft he made himfelf mafter of Ocuilla and Malacate- 

 pec. The progrefs of his conqueds and vi6lories were 

 now interrupted by his death, wdiich happened in the thir- 

 teenth year of his reign, or the 1477 of the vulgar era. 

 He had a genius for v/ar, and was rigorous in punifliing 

 the tranfgr^^lTors of the laws which his predeceiTor had 

 eflabliflied. He left a numerous piFspring by his diifer- 

 cnt wives, among whom was the celebrated Montezuma 

 of whom we fliall ftiortly have occailon to fpeak. 



In 



